Horses play on an oceanfront stretch of Hana Ranch, founded by a former San Francisco entrepreneur in 1944.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To SFGate

Horses play on an oceanfront stretch of Hana Ranch, founded by a...

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The uncrowded sands of Hamoa Beach are one attraction of rural Hana.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To SFGate

The uncrowded sands of Hamoa Beach are one attraction of rural Hana.

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No cell reception? No worries: Hana still has payphones--and even phonebooks.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To SFGate

No cell reception? No worries: Hana still has payphones--and even...

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Oheo Gulch, nicknamed in modern times the Seven Sacred Pools, is a popular landmark on the Kipahulu side of Haleakala National Park.

Photo: Hta, Kirk Lee Aeder

Oheo Gulch, nicknamed in modern times the Seven Sacred Pools, is a...

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Wailua Falls are off the side of the road between Hana and the Kipahulu portion of Haleakala National Park.

Photo: Hta, Tor Johnson

Wailua Falls are off the side of the road between Hana and the...

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Serene ambiance rather than a beachfront location is the hallmark of the ocean-view cottages at Travaasa Hana, the former Hotel Hana-Maui.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To SFGate

Serene ambiance rather than a beachfront location is the hallmark...

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The mammoth Piilani Heiau, a 450-foot-long stone temple said to be the largest such structure in Polynesia, is found inside the Kahanu National Botanical Garden near the town of Hana.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To The Chronicle

The mammoth Piilani Heiau, a 450-foot-long stone temple said to be...

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The rocky coastline of Waianapanapa State Park in Maui's Hana district, known for its sea arch, includes camping sites and cabins for savoring the tranquility a little longer.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To The Chronicle

The rocky coastline of Waianapanapa State Park in Maui's Hana...

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Wananalua Congregational Church in Hana was built atop an ancient heiau, or temple, in Hana in the mid-19th century.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To The Chronicle

Wananalua Congregational Church in Hana was built atop an ancient...

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One of several pools at Travaasa Hana, formerly the Hotel Hana-Maui, this one lies in front of the resort's renowned day spa.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To SFGate

One of several pools at Travaasa Hana, formerly the Hotel...

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Guests need to consult the activity board — or a concierge — to keep up with all the activities on and off site at Travaasa Hana, belying the impression of there being little to do in teh area.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To SFGate

Guests need to consult the activity board — or a concierge — to...

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The deck of Kauiki restaurant, one of two dining areas at the Travaasa Hana resort, offers a distant view of the ocean and a wide variety of foliage to identify.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To SFGate

The deck of Kauiki restaurant, one of two dining areas at the...

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Locally grown heirloom tomatoes are emblematic of Kauiki restaurant's new farm-to-table approach, but simpler fare is also available in the town of Hana.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To SFGate

Locally grown heirloom tomatoes are emblematic of Kauiki...

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Auntie Carol dances hula while (from left) husband Boise Kawaiaea, Leokane Pryor and C. J. Helekahi play traditional Hawaiian music at Travaasa Hana. The band's twice-weekly concerts are the highlights of local entertainment.

Photo: Jeanne Cooper, Special To SFGate

Auntie Carol dances hula while (from left) husband Boise Kawaiaea,...

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More than 75 members of the Hana community welcomed Mokulele Airlines' inaugural flight from Kahului into Hana Oct. 1 with fresh flower lei, Hawaiian music, a hula halau performance, and rousing applause. Maui County mayor Alan Arakawa and state Sen. J. Kalani English were among the dignitaries on the first flight.

It's widely known as "Heavenly Hana," but reviews are mixed on the tortuous — and occasionally torturous — road to the rural enclave in East Maui. And is there really that much to do when you get there?

Mokulele Airlines made it a lot easier this week for some visitors to answer that question with the debut of twice-daily regularly scheduled flights between Hana and the main airport in Kahului. The 20-minute ride aboard a nine-passenger Cessna Grand Caravan 208B compares with a minimum two-hour drive along a 52-mile stretch of the Hana Highway, famed for its 620 curves and 59 bridges, many of them one-lane. Waterfalls, rainforest trails and spectacular ocean vistas beg for impromptu stops along the way — which can at times bug those who just want to get from Point A to Point E (the next letter in the Hawaiian language).

Flights start at $59 one way, and for a limited time they're free with a booking of three nights or longer at the luxurious Travaasa Hana, formerly the Hotel Hana-Maui, which will shuttle guests to and from the airport. Car rental agencies have yet to catch up with the resumption of regularly scheduled air service to Hana, so visitors who plan to fly there are in fact better off staying at the top-rated resort on an all-inclusive package. That way they can make the must-see excursions to Hamoa Beach, the 294-acre Kahanu National Tropical Botanical Garden and massive Piilani Heiau, and Kipahulu section of Haleakala National Park, home to the Pools of Oheo and 400-foot Waimoku Falls.

Rightly renowned for its spa, Travaasa Hana is also the host ofthe Festivals of Aloha, Oct. 23-26, a series of Hawaiian cultural workshops, games, tours and outdoor adventures, free to anyone wearing a 2012 Festivals of Aloha Ribbon. It also showcases the area's best live entertainment — traditional Hawaiian music by Leokane Pryor and C.J. Helekahi — Sunday nights in Kauiki restaurant and Thursday nights in the Paniolo Lounge. Both dining spots offer perfectly prepared, if a little pricey, farm- and fishing-boat-to-table cuisine, with more affordable fare at the Hana Ranch Restaurant up the street and at several mom-and-pop roadside joints with eclectic menus and erratic hours.

Camping at Waianapanapa State Park or at the national park is another cost-cutting option — if a rental car is at your disposal. But whether flying or driving, you might find three days is barely enough time to explore Hana (or Travaasa) while enjoying its relaxed ambience. Say its name the Hawaiian way, Hāna, and you should hear the echo of a satisfied sigh.

Jeanne Cooper is the former Chronicle Travel Editor and author of SFGate's Hawaii Insider, a blog about Hawaii travel and island culture.